Monday, 8 September 2014

Cat Sphinx

A common inhabitant of the desert buildings in my fantasy lands. They are ever vigilant to the cause of protecting the home, but still exhibit other cat-like traits.

Cat Sphinx

CR 2
NG Small Animal
Init +4; Perception + 5

DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+2 size, +4 dexterity, +2 natural)
hp 18 (3d8+6)
Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +2 **

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee Claws +5 / +5 (1d3)

TACTICS

Morale 11

STATISTICS
Str 5 Dex 19 Con 14 Int 9 Wis 13 Cha 12
Base Atk +1; CMB 2 CMD 13
Feats: Double attack, Weapon Finesse
Skills Perception +15, Acrobatics +5, Survival +5

ECOLOGY
Environment: Phastian Desert
Organization: Solitary or mated pair
Treasure: None

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Special ability: Scent
Spells: Detect Poison, Purify Food, Excite or Fear (2/day); Cast as 5th level Druid.

Phastian or sphinx cats have long been bred by multiple inhabitants of the desert to be house companions and protectors. Their role is much like a watch dog kept in a house or temple, to both keep it free from vermin and to carefully watch and alert their owners when trouble appears. They appear as an small androsphinx with the traditional head ware to show their status.

It is important for the inhabitants of a building to understand these sphinxes are not owned or controlled as these animals are smart enough to disobey if mistreated. They serve a role and as such they desire certain amenities as restitution for their services, which if they are not provided will make them abandon their post. While not exactly rare, cat sphinxes are highly prized and few phastian households would abandon or cause grief to their beloved house protectors.

Cat Spinxes are incredibly long lived some noted to have lived more than 300 years and none have ever been seen to have died a natural death. At a certain point, a cat sphinx will abandon their house to enter the desert sands and never be seen again. There are some that believe these elder sphinxes emerge as larger sphinxes, or reincarnate as a humanoid, while others believe their final form is a cat statue, found at many desert oasis. 

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